The Art & Soul Show - Photography Podcast for Newborn and Family Photographers

Have you had this thought? “I’m so overwhelmed. Maybe it would be better just to walk away from this work entirely.”If you have, you’re not alone. So many of us find ourselves in this position: overworked, overbooked, and with no end in sight. And we don’t know how to get ourselves out without giving up completely.So in this episode, I’m sharing my own personal story of finding myself in this tough spot, what I did to climb out of the hole I’d dug for myself, and the steps I’m taking to avoid this in the future. Just because we need rest, it doesn’t mean that we’re a failure… and taking a break doesn’t mean that we have to be done forever.Let’s dig in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[00:35] That moment when we just want to quit and walk away and the gentle truth we need to hear about these moments[01:39] A personal story about reaching my own breaking point[03:35] What happened when I pressed pause on parts of my business[05:00] How to tell if it’s time to rest or actually move on from certain parts of your business and steps you can take to find clarity[08:35] Some personal news about my business (and this podcast!)Tune in to this episode for advice on how to give ourselves time to rest instead of giving up!For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

Slowing down isn’t always easy—but for Tiffany Crenshaw, it’s become essential. As a photographer, mentor, and mom of four, Tiffany has learned how to build a business that aligns with her life instead of competing with it. In this episode, she shares how her priorities have shifted in recent years and how she’s helping other women create businesses that actually support their families. Tiffany opens up about building sustainability into her schedule, why pricing is about more than numbers, and how she’s navigating slower seasons and a changing economy with creativity and care. She also shares practical tools for automating and eliminating tasks, the power of community, and how she uses simple, personal marketing strategies that go far beyond Instagram.If you’ve ever felt like hustle culture doesn’t work for your life—or your values—this conversation with Tiffany will feel like a breath of fresh air. Let’s dive in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[01:51] How Tiffany’s life and priorities have been shifting lately[03:51] How Tiffany finds ways to slow down and manage her life and business without regret[09:52] Tiffany’s advice for time and schedule management[11:34] How Tiffany thinks about navigating the difficulty in the current economic landscape[18:51] How Tiffany helps other women find and create their own communities [21:03] Tiffany’s thoughts on marketing without solely relying on Instagram[25:02] Tiffany’s lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

We’ve all felt that pang—a new photographer that’s blowing up right in our home town, a beautiful session at a location you’re just dying to shoot, or maybe something small like seeing more comments or compliments on another creative’s work instead of yours.This jealousy doesn’t often feel good, bringing shame, guilt, and resentment if we don’t address the root causes. But jealousy doesn’t mean that we’re bad or heartless. It’s an opportunity for us to grow and learn more about ourselves.In this episode, I’m sharing why we all experience this jealousy at some point in our photography careers, how to harness our jealousy into something useful instead of harmful, and my own personal story of jealousy. We don’t have to let it take over our lives, friends.Let’s dig in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[00:30] Why everyone—photographers included—experience jealousy sometimes [01:42] The quote that shifted my perspective on jealousy [03:18] How we can harness jealousy as a tool to grow instead of letting it turn into resentment[04:49] How getting curious can help us pinpoint what’s underneath jealousy[05:15] A personal story of navigating my own jealousyTune in to this episode for how to navigate these sticky, jealous feelings that come with comparison and creativity!For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

We all come to photography from different angles, but for Melissa Barnes, loss and love cemented her affection for the medium. But photography isn’t her only love. Melissa is also a full-time architectural designer and doesn’t plan on giving up either career anytime soon. In this tender episode, Melissa shares her family history, how it’s shaped her love of photography, why she has no plans to become a full-time photographer, and how her cultural heritage shapes her art and work. She also shares how she captures those tender, romantic moments for her clients and why these connections give her so much joy.If you’re ready to give deep into capturing those romantic moments on camera, this episode with Melissa is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[02:05] The family tragedies that propelled Melissa into her love of photography[04:56] Why Melissa isn’t—and doesn’t want to be—a full-time photographer[06:14] How Melissa captures love and romance in ordinary places[09:46] How Melissa’s cultural heritage influences her photography work[13:00] Where many styled shoots fall flat and how Melissa thinks they could be more equitable[15:38] How being a multi-passionate person has affected Melissa and her work[19:34] Melissa’s lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

Some photographers find their passion after becoming a parent—but for Cally Petersen, photography came first. And over the years, her love for it has only grown deeper. Now a decade into her business, Cally has built a creative life that reflects her values, honors her limits, and stays true to her “why.”In this episode, Cally shares how she found photography before motherhood, how her confidence and presence have grown over time, and what helps her genuinely enjoy showing up online. She walks us through how she approaches branding sessions with intention, how she structures her calendar to align with her energy, and why certain sessions bring her back to the heart of her work.If you’ve ever felt pulled between business growth and a slower, more grounded life, this episode with Cally is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in.What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[02:16] How Cally found photography pre-parenthood and how she has grown more grounded in her “why” over time[09:14] What has helped Cally to enjoy showing up online[13:56] How Cally approaches her branding photography sessions[19:23] How Cally keeps her calendar aligned and stays booked throughout the year[24:21] The types of sessions that remind Cally of her “why”[30:00] Cally’s lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

We’ve all had those moments of feeling stuck in-between something. Either we’re waiting for a new stage of life or we’re on the verge of a breakthrough and what we’re doing currently just isn’t working quite right. It can be a deeply frustrating place to find ourselves both in life and in our photography businesses. But it doesn’t have to last forever, and we can come out the other side of this messy middle stage stronger and more invigorated.So in this episode, I’m sharing what the messy middle is for many photographers, why it can be so overwhelming when we’re in it, and some practical steps for navigating through this stage just a little bit faster.Let’s dig in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[00:30] What the “messy middle” is when it comes to our businesses[02:29] How this messy middle causes us to question ourselves and our businesses[04:22] What this in-between stage actually means about our business[05:00] Some steps you can take to move through this messy middle stage[10:20] An encouragement for anyone currently navigating this stageTune in to this episode for how to navigate being in the messy middle of your photography business!For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

In photography circles, influencer marketing sometimes gets a bad rap. From getting ghosted after photographing a session or having filters applied to your hard work, it can feel intimidating to step into this realm.But in this episode, Cydnee Jex is here to walk through her whole process of working with influencers. She shares how she finds influencers to work with, how she sets expectations and boundaries, how she approaches the whole process from a very practical angle, and why, at the end of the day, she loves working with influencers!Plus, she’s giving us a sneak peek at her upcoming Maternity and Newborn Summit, including  why she loves making in-person connections and how potential educators can apply to teach.If you’re ready to start adding influencers into the marketing plan for your photography business, this episode with Cydnee is one you can’t miss!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[02:12] All about the upcoming Maternity and Newborn Summit [10:51] Why in-person connection is so important[16:24] How Cydnee started working with influencers[20:23] Common mistakes when photographers try out influencer marketing for the first time[22:44] How to approach the dreaded “filters” conversation with influencers[30:18] How to talk about payment in collaboration with influencers[31:39] Cydnee’s lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

After nearly two decades of working, it would be understandable for any photographer to feel a little less enthusiastic about their work. But not Kim Hildebrand! She’s still honing her skills and stoking her passion for capturing those tender real life moments.In this episode, Kim shares how she’s managed to grow and find stability over her last 17 years as a photographer. She shares the lessons she learned early on, how systems have helped her find consistency and balance, and how she’s helping other photographers do the same. Plus, she’s sharing what keeps her passion alive and why she loves photographing families so much. It’s the “why” that keeps her going. If you’re ready to lay the groundwork for a long and fulfilling photography career, this episode with Kim is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[02:29] How Kim’s style has evolved over her long photography career[09:11] How Kim puts families at ease during her in-home photography sessions[12:34] Kim’s PhotoBoss Frameworks and how developing systems over her decades as a photographer changed her business for the better[19:14] Common signs that tell photographers that they need more systems in place[23:00] How Kim keeps the passion for her photography going after nearly two decades[28:35] Kim’s early career mistake that ended up as an invaluable learning moment[32:37] Kim's lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

When it comes to… basically anything, everyone has an opinion, and our photography and businesses are rarely exempt. And because our work is often so personal, the feedback can hit hard.But not all feedback is useful, relevant, or even true. It is just information, and we get to choose what to do with that information and how much we let it affect us.In this episode, I’m sharing why feedback can feel so personal in creative businesses, how to navigate different types of feedback in our photography businesses, and how we can differentiate helpful feedback that can help us grow from the feedback that isn’t serving us.Let’s dig in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[00:53] Why feedback can cut so deep and how we can use it to grow[01:39] How to handle feedback on your pricing[03:30] How to navigate feedback from disappointed clients[06:26] Navigating critiques, both from genuine feedback and from the trolls[09:00] What feedback is… and what it’s notTune in to this episode for some advice on taking the feedback that serves your business and leaving what does not!For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

Are you excited to create marketing and brand content for your photography business? If you’re saying to yourself, “Uuuhh, no. Not really…” You’re not the only one. Creating the content to market our business when we really just want to create artwork for our clients can feel like such a chore. And that’s where Tania comes in.In this episode, Tania Barbieri is sharing her wisdom on how we can build photography brands that we’re actually excited to show up for and how we can create messaging and content for that brand that showcases our unique perspective. Plus, she’s sharing how to prioritize and systematize content so that it can actually fit into our lives and business.The way that Tania reframes brand-building and how we can connect with potential clients is truly inspirational. Let’s dive in!What’s in this episode:[00:00] Intro[02:00] What Tania has learned about creativity in each chapter of her career and how she landed in her current niche[07:44] How Tania helps photographers build a brand they want to show up for [10:58] How to keep going when your brand content isn’t landing how you hoped[15:23] Mistakes that photographers are making with their content and messaging[23:50] Tania’s advice for photographers who struggle to see their own magic[27:37] How to create sustainable systems for content creation that fit into their lives and business[35:03] The aha moment for photographers when they work with Tania[41:25] Tania’s Lightning roundFor full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!